1894.] 
W. Irvine —Guru Gohind Siygh and Bandah. 
117 
resembled the Guru in features, placed himself in the front of the fight 
and fought on till he was killed, allowing Gohind Siqgh time to escape. 
After plundering the Sikh camp, which was near Rupar on the Satlaj, 
the Muhammadans made diligent search for the Guru, of whose escape 
they now heard. Gohind fled into the forest, and his wives received 
shelter in the house of a secret adherent. Next day the Guru reached 
Chamkaur, a place lower down the Satlaj than Rupar. 1 He was then 
alone. The pursuit continuing, he went on with two disciples, who 
now joined him, and they walked southwards for fifteen miles. He 
halted to rest at Macliivara, a town with a ferry over the Satlaj, 
twenty-two miles east of Ludhiana. Disguised as a Muhammadan, 
he gave himself out as a Haji, or pilgrim from the Arabian holy places, 
and in this character received assistance from some Pathans. His 
flight was then continued on a horse brought to him by a disciple, and 
he was lost sight of for three months. 2 At length a man of village 
Kangir, in the Firuzpur district, found him and took him to his house. 3 
Gobind lived there a year, and afterwards passed nearly three years at 
Damdama, where he composed his Granth , known as “ The Book of the 
Tenth King.” 4 5 
At the time of Gobind’s investment in Makhaval-Anandpur, he sent 
away his mother, Gnjarl, and his two sons, Fath Siqgh and Zorawar 
Siijgh. 6 They took shelter in the town of Sirhind ; or as one account 
says, 6 they were captured by a force sent out by Wazlr Khan, the 
1 Seven miles S.-W. of Rupar (Thornton, 215). Cunningham, 76, and Malcolm 
65, say that there was a siege at Chamkaur, and that two sons, Ajit Siqgh and 
Jajarh Siqgh, were killed there. 
2 Cunningham, 77, gives Bahlolpur as one stage in the flight, and the final 
refuge was, he says, in the wastes of Bhatinda (about 60 m. S.-E. of Firuzpur, and 
120 m. S.-W. of Rupar ; it has now a railway station.) He adds that the Sikhs place 
these events in 1705-6. McGregor, 1, 87, has ‘Belalpore.’ Thence Gobind went 
to Machivara (91), thence to Kanija, three miles from Ludhiana (92), then to 
Jalpnra, ten miles from Ray K5t (92). His followers now assembled, and he went 
to K6t Kapura (92), then to Muktsar (93). The Muhammadans followed and 
Gbbind defeated them. Being unable to obtain water, they were forced to retreat. 
3 Sakhi Book, 103. 
4 E. Trumpp, xcii, Damdama, a residence built by the Gum in a village of the 
Malwa country. Cunningham, 77, says it is half-way between Hansi and Firuzpur. 
The “ Flrm'pur Gazetteer” (Lahore, 1883-4), p. 41, describes it as “the breathing 
place, at which Guru Gobind halted in his flight from Bhatinda before the battle of 
Muktsar.” A meld or fair is held there. Malcolm, 186, note, quoting a Sikh 
author, not named, states that the Gra?ith above referred to was completed on the 
8th Bhadwan 1753 S. (August 1696, A. D). 
5 Browne, 6, 7 who says, that the boys were aged six and five years Malcolm, 
65. McGregor, I, 86, Sakhi Book, 102. 
6 Browne, 6. 
